


Gal-Othy-Mos

by PROMARE_D_Lost



Category: Promare (2019)
Genre: Cameos, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Galo Thymos Not Being an Idiot, Guilt, Japanese Culture, M/M, Post-Canon, Spoilers, Tattoos, Teasing, Tsunderes, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-24
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:56:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24346126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PROMARE_D_Lost/pseuds/PROMARE_D_Lost
Summary: Burning Rescue works to create a firefighter calendar as a much-needed fundraiser for the Burnish. This sets off a couple of bombshells that Lio couldn't have predicted.(They're not what you think.)Feat. Mild cursing and a mention of scarring
Relationships: Lio Fotia & Gueira & Meis, Lio Fotia/Galo Thymos, Mad Burnish Members & Galo Thymos
Comments: 9
Kudos: 106





	Gal-Othy-Mos

**Author's Note:**

> Happy 1-year anniversary, Promare fandom!!
> 
> I originally wasn't gonna write anything for it. Perhaps shockingly, I still have several WIPs focused on the characters of this movie. But more importantly, my job's been challenging me, more than ever since my last fic. Through this pandemic, too... I feel like I haven't been allowed the time and space to truly reflect on how it's affected me. Luckily, no one I know personally has gotten the corona virus, but my mother and I alone have been at risk of doing so numerous times over. We still are, and I hate that. Plus my clients are suffering in unique ways because of it... Every time I've had a moment to myself, I usually haven't wanted to write. All I've wanted to do is relax or sleep. But a brain worm took over me yesterday - yesterday! - while I was talking to someone I consider a friend, and I decided, had the motivation, to be balls to the wall and write this. The beginning's a little silly, but it's gotta start somewhere! And the rest of it means a lot to me.

To Lio's surprise, Remi Puguna, the Vice-Captain of Burning Rescue, is the one who suggested it.

The government of Promepolis has vehemently opposed paying reparations to the Burnish. They don't want to admit that, basically, a(n unjustified) state-sponsored genocide took place right under their noses, mostly without their knowledge. Along those lines, a good portion of its constituents still consider the Burnish the aggressors. They say that they should've continued protesting the discrimination and persecution they faced the way they had before, with words and picket signs. In a more peaceful manner. (As if they hadn't tried to until enough was enough, as if they'd actually hurt and/or killed others with their flames on purpose.) And they say that every single one of the Burnish should pay up to the victims of their flare-ups instead. Ultimately, they've pretty much been left to their own devices when it comes to rebuilding their lives, against almost-impossible odds.

So Remi had proposed that Burning Rescue make a not-quite-a-joke firefighting calendar to raise funds for the Burnish. With a glimmer in his eyes and a hint of a sneer, he'd argued, "If you can't win hearts and minds, then _lust_ conquers all."

In theory, it was an idiotic idea, one that could trivialize their cause. However, Lio understands that the logic behind it is correct on multiple fronts. Frankly, his people are crippled and dying by the minute. Most of them had survived being fuel cells for the Prometech engine, but those who had sustained one or more injuries in the process. Also, and objectively speaking, the majority of Burning Rescue's physically fit. If one of his most recent rediscoveries, the Internet, is anything to go by, people are really into other people who can crush them effortlessly. Plus, Aina's appearance is bubbly and cute, Remi looks like he could be a K-Pop star, Varys is the tallest and broadest of the squad, Captain Ignis is a tattooed mystery, and Galo? He's a "picture-perfect" rebel with a heart of gold. That one is still fairly beloved by the citizens of Promepolis despite his unyielding support for the Burnish at every turn.

What was less shocking to him was that everyone was up for it, except for himself and Lucia. She'd wanted to feature her robots in her place. The rest of Burning Rescue had vetoed that, causing her to volunteer to curate the calendar. He'd refused to give them his blessing until they'd sworn that they wouldn't officially associate it with his people. And so, its production was greenlit.

They make it at their headquarters due to the ease of getting back to work afterwards. Even though he, Gueira, and Meis aren't members of the squad, they'd also set aside an office for the three of them there: It's one of the safest places they can be. So he witnesses the calendar's creation first-hand.

(Ignis gets his part done in the privacy of his office, which makes sense at first. The wisdom of that decision is made much more clear to the rest of Burning Rescue and the Mad Burnish when his photos finish developing. Everyone stares and stares and stares at them until the Captain's sunglasses slide down his nose and he noisily, authoritatively clears his throat.)

One another such day, he's tackling yet another grant application when a commotion goes off in the common area. He doesn't hesitate, unbuckling an ice gun from his leg that Ignis had loaned him and making his way over there, checking each of his corners.

When he's close enough, he yells over the din, "Everyone alright?!" Mixed shouts of "Oh, shit, we're good, Lio!" answer him. He exhales a little raggedly, relaxes his posture and holsters his gun.

But as he enters, Meis, Gueira, and Galo seem to sense the panic that's leaving him. His generals look pained. Galo's smile is a bit too wide, eyes full of shame. His expression is reassuring in return, and so Gueira's and Meis' loosen. As is his norm, Galo doesn't draw attention to his reaction.

This gives Lio the opportunity to scrutinize him, and he immediately realizes why everyone present had been freaking out.

First, his left arm and hand have been inked with a pattern of Burnish flames, to the point that his burn scars appear to be nonexistent.

Second, his right earlobe is pierced with a shiny, small black hoop.

Lio drinks in every twist and curve of his new adornments. He lights up a bit more, his mouth curving into the beginnings of a cocky smile, his eyes fiery.

"... Why?" He eventually gets out. He's proud that his voice is only a tad shaky.

He needs to confirm what this is, exactly. Because if it's along the lines of what he's thinking, then it's one of Galo's boldest declarations yet, and he's coming up blank on how to shut it down.

"What? Don't tell me you don't like it?" He flexes his arm, takes several ridiculously dramatic poses, and grins.

His eyes narrow slightly, but he ends up sighing. He can't say something along the lines of _You didn't need to get something like that for me to like you_ _._ He settles for, "No, it's just unexpected." He gives him a small smirk. "It suits you perfectly, it's just as loud as you are."

"Haha, right?" Then he crosses his arms.

"I've actually always wanted a tattoo! They can be super colorful, they can make you stand out, and they'd go well with my awesome hair!" Lio bitterly observes him dim a little. "But I never did because I didn't wanna embarrass anybody.

Now, though? Forget that!!" His brilliance intensifies, and the ache in Lio's chest disappears. "I'm really gonna live my life balls to the wall!! I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't, amirite?"

For the nth time today, he reconsiders storming the jail _that monster's_ being kept in, but Galo pushes through his thoughts.

"Since it's permanent, I really wanted it to be something meaningful. Like, with a long-lasting impact. And..." He turns to each of the Mad Burnish. "... a lot of people know by now how my arm got messed up. But a lot of them still don't know or care about the Lio de Galon or Galo de Lion, only the Burnish. Only the damage they've caused, without the context behind it. So I decided I wanna try to change those misconceptions in my own way.

I want everyone who sees my arm to remember that horrible things can happen when people act on misunderstandings and fears like that. That if we take the time to learn more about each other, we can figure out that other people are just like us, or really impressive. That anyone can change and do better. Y'know?"

Among a multitude of other things, he questions, _"Really impressive," huh? Is he referring to the Burnish... or to me specifically?_

Before he can speak or ask anything, Gueira contests hotly, "Don't think something as simple as a tattoo will get any of the Burnish to forgive you!!"

Meis and he have both been like this since they moved their operations into Lio's office, and not for his lack of trying. He suspects it might be due to their wounds being deeper than his; they've been protecting their people as a collective longer than he has.

Meis is at least considering Lio's reaction before he develops his own, remaining silent and sharp. He's awaiting Galo's reply as well.

"I wouldn't dream of it!!" His grin fades, but he doesn't snarl at Gueira or square up against him. "It's a reminder of the promise I made to Lio, too." Galo uncrosses his arms just to point at him. "'Through spark and flame, I've got your back.'" He crosses his arms again. "I won't let myself forget it, or all the work I've gotta do. _We've_ gotta do."

Gueira's voice sputters to a halt, for now. Lio can't help but feel a bit warmer, a bit lighter, at his declaration. (Of course, he makes a note to process this at another time with Gueira: He wants him and Galo to get along, a lot. Both of them have become irreplaceable to him.)

"Also!" He beams anew. "Ancient firefighters from a far east island nation got _irezumi_ , or tattoos, because they believed they'd keep them safe. And they went on to become symbols of courage!"

Lio finally allows himself a small smile at his enthusiasm. (So does Meis, but his is tense.) Then he recalls something.

"And the earring?"

"Oh, this? I got it because it's a good look on you and I thought I'd give it a shot!" Galo's gaze is dead-set on him, and it's oozing confidence. "No better time to than while I have this tattoo, right?!"

He steels his expression and tightly clenches his hands into fists, but that doesn't stop his face from burning red all the way to the tips of his ears.

Now both of his generals are stammering.

"Hey!! You can't say something like that so casually to the Boss, you idiot popsicle!!"

* * *

"Ya know," Galo drawls in Lio's and his bed one night. After about a year of him refusing the most to least subtle of Galo's advances, he'd ended up outright telling him that he loved him, had for a while, with a disclaimer that he'd accept whatever choice he made from there. And he had at long last acknowledged that he felt the same way and that if anything - not his arrest and imprisonment, not threats of violence, not literal assassination attempts, and not his own mental health issues - hadn't made either of them reconsider, then probably nothing would. "This tattoo of mine? It isn't complete."

Lio, who'd been draping himself over him, glances up at him with a combination of curiosity and suspicion.

"When those ancient firefighters from a far east island nation were around, some people got tattoos that would only be considered to be finished when the ink met at their lover's hands." As his eyes widen, Galo's smile is bold, welcoming, adoring. "So! You wanna help me complete my tattoo, firebug?!"

He soon grins. "Yes. I'd love to."

* * *

The design of the the ink covering his right arm and hand looks almost exactly the same as Galo's save for some expected artistic differences. His includes a tiny, smiling Promare in the crook of his elbow. (He'd wanted a memento of them that wouldn't lead onlookers to conclude that he was being insensitive to the victims of Burnish flare-ups.) Also, his flames are aquamarine, like the Galo de Lion's.

From behind, the couple's tattoos come together to form a resounding inferno.

**Author's Note:**

> \- This fic stemmed from the fact that Remi, one of the truer enigmas of Burning Rescue, has risque pics of women in his locker. (Yes, he's horny on main)  
> \- Lio's feelings are based on the translation of the lyrics for Kouri ni Tojikomete. If you haven't witnessed it yet, you will not regret it, it's so damn good  
> \- I will readily state that "firebug," as well as Galo getting earrings and tattoos, aren't original ideas of mine. EDIT: They’ve all been floated around by the fandom for a while now; I don’t think anyone could pinpoint who created the nickname.  
> * I will readily note that I informed the parts about tattoos using a Wikipedia article (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irezumi#Japanese_tattoos_in_the_Edo_period), so if they're wrong, please feel free to let me know.  
> * This is the reference for Galo's earring; I wanted it to look like Lio's but be, y'know, shaped like a circle: https://www.pierceduniverse.com/collections/earring-hoops/products/pair-of-small-black-surgical-steel-rounded-hinged-hoop-earrings  
> \- A hot take: Galo is ashamed of his role in the Burnish's suffering, so he does everything he can to make things right by them. (Mind one of the tags, too.)  
> \- Another take: Galo has to prove himself to Gueira and Meis, as does the rest of his squad. Firefighters and the like were probably their enemy for awhile... I envision them as having led the Mad Burnish for many years.  
> \- If you spot the Gundam reference, you get a cookie!  
> (- Ignis is a DILF, fight me)


End file.
